The Hindu : Front Page : Women's World condemns campaign against Kushboo and Suhasini

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 18, 2005

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Women's World condemns campaign against Kushboo and Suhasini

In a press release, Vasantha Kannabiran, Ritu Menon, Volga, and Ammu Joseph, representing Women's WORLD, (India), have expressed grave concern over the vicious public campaign being mounted against Kushboo and Suhasini, and called attention to the way "culture policing and mob censorship'' threaten freedom of expression and place women who speak their mind "at risk.''

Their statement, issued on November 17, reads:

"We are gravely concerned about the public campaign that is being mounted against Kushboo and Suhasini. Personal opinions on the existence or non-existence of premarital sex cannot be taken as insults to communities or cultures. This kind of culture policing and mob censorship has serious implications for freedom of expression.

"We are particularly concerned that such attacks are often directed at women. If women, including Tamil women, are to enjoy their fundamental right to free and equal citizenship, this trend towards targeting women for speaking their minds is a retrogressive step. The whole campaign against Kushboo's remarks is an insult to the thoughts and teaching of E. V. Ramaswamy, a brilliant thinker and guru forgotten today in Tamil Nadu politics.

"The right to freedom of expression must be guarded at all costs. It is a sign of the bankruptcy of our political action that a remark like this is blown out of proportion to generate hate and rouse public anger when far more important issues of injustice, corruption, livelihoods, and survival are not touched upon. E. V. Ramaswamy [Periyar] and Subramania Bharati should be made compulsory reading for political activists of all colours.

"We are also concerned about the role of the media in sensationalising and generating controversies around such issues and thereby placing women at risk. We commend the courage and principled stand taken by Sania Mirza and Narain Karthikeyan in this regard. We call upon all leading writers, artistes, intellectuals, and political parties to take a stand on freedom of expression and censorship by mob, in order to bring an end to this kind of attack. Forced apologies from Kushboo and Suhasini should be seen as a blow to a democratic culture of freedom of thought and expression.

"Women's WORLD (India) is a network of women writers connected to Women's WORLD (Women's World Organisation for Rights, Literature and Development), an international free speech network that seeks to catalyse global feminist work on the right to free expression.

"Women writers from across the world associated with Women's WORLD believe that gender-based censorship is a major threat to women's freedom of expression. Gender based censorship refers to the historic, worldwide silencing of women's voices through various means which subtly, but effectively, obstruct the achievement of equality, sustainable livelihoods and peace by women.''

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AIDWA extends support to Kushboo

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The All-India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) on Thursday urged the courts not to entertain complaints "that are a direct blow to the freedom of expression."

Describing the critics of actress Kushboo, who is facing flak for her remarks on pre-marital sex, as "self-styled upholders of Tamil culture," the central executive committee at a meeting here expressed concern over the "increased attempts at moral policing." It said the courts should not entertain complaints that were a direct attack on an individual's right to express his/her views.

The meeting, chaired by Suhasini Ali, also passed a resolution demanding that the Government frame rules under the recently-passed Domestic Violence Bill, so that women get speedy redress.

It decided to set up media monitoring committees in different States to keep a tab on indecent portrayal of women in the print and electronic media and put forward suggestions to the United Progressive Alliance Government. Expressing concern over "the dangerous pro-U.S. tilt of the UPA Government through its various bilateral agreements, the joint military exercise and the anti-Iran vote at the IAEA," the participants also condemned the "communal and revivalist" propaganda in the BJP-ruled States.

It decided to observe December 1 as a protest day against the UPA Government's move to introduce dual pricing policy for LPG and kerosene.

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